Scott McClellan: White House Wanted Me To Stay Silent (VIDEO)

Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan spoke out for the first time since excerpts of his new memoir set Washington abuzz, saying on NBC's Today show that he was answering a "higher loyalty" than his affection for President Bush: "loyalty to the truth."

Video of the segment is below, and here are some highlights via Politico:

"The White House would prefer that I not talk openly about my experiences," he said in a lengthy, at time combative interview with anchor Meredith Viera. "These words didn't come to me easy. ... I'm disappointed that things didn't turn out the way we all hoped they would."

He added: "I have a higher loyalty ... than my loyalty to my past work. I have a loyalty to the truth."

Asked if he'll ever talk to the president again, McClellan said: "I don't know. I certainly don't expect it any time soon. I know this is a tough book for some people to accept."

McClellan's book, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception," has provoked a furious counterattack from his former colleagues, who call it "sad," "puzzling" and "pathetic."

McClellan accused Vice President Cheney of failing his boss. "In a number of ways, he has not served the president well," McClellan said. "Part of it is the secrecy and compartmentalization ... in the White House."

And McClellan said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, when she was White House national security adviser, gave in too often to Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"I felt that too often she was too accommodating ... of the other strong personalities on the foreign policy team ... and too deferential to those individuals," he said.

Former presidential counselor Dan Bartlett, following McClellan on "Today," said McClellan had used "very inflammatory words" like "propaganda," with "not a lot of evidence."

"He never communicated to us that he had these personal misgivings," Bartlett said. "There's not a lot of specific evidence about the most explosive charges."

Comments

[sciabattoni]

Notice how no one in the White House is saying "this isn't true."

[Chillinout]

They don't want to be seen as liars when they are on trial for war crimes.

[Tom95134]

Yup. It's the usual, "Smear the messenger and ignore the message."

It's the same thing they did with Dan Rather. You think maybe Karl Rove was called for some advice on how to deal with this?

[wsmcke]

Good interesting point....

[Rendon76]

Anyone with a bulls1ht detector knows the Bush Administration is probably the most secretive and propagandistic administration of all time. This "coming out" of Scott McClellan will just reinforce what we've known even before George Bush declared war on Iraq and that is that it was all a lie. "The rush to war", remember that? Yeah it was a rush to war that Bush and friends hoped they could wage really fast, end really fast, then sweep under the rug and declare victory, with a personal motive we are still not sure of. Weapons of mass destruction was the excuse which proved to be false. I can't decide if it was for the no-bid contracts for Halaburton or to try and set up a beach head for democracy in the middle east. For whatever reason it wasn't the reason he said we were going there for. Oh and McCain and Hillary went along with this war in fear that it would succeed and they would be left out of the celebration party.

[MOwest]

I think that when McClellan describes Bush as "ambitious", "idealistic" and as a man "with a lack of self-confidence that makes him unable to acknowledge when he's been wrong.", he is trying to pass Bush off as a this great leader, who is flawed. When in reality, I believe that Bush was premeditated in his plan to profiteer through war.

[lthuedk 1]

Surely, McClellan has been deposed at least once. He should be protected. I hope his coming forward will encourage others connected to the Bush/Cheney junta to do their patriotic duty.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/deep_patriot_act.html

[enoughalready13]

AS WELL AS THE CONGRESS TO DO THEIR JOB TO INVESTIGATE THESE WRONG DOINGS!

[bygollymissmolly]

I hope that McClellan is hiring a body guard. He's going to need it.

I think once Obama takes office, there will be a tsunami of people who will be dropping dimes on the Bush Crime Family. They would be doing it now except for the fact that they will lose their jobs, their future and possibly their lives if they tell all before Bush leaves office.

[kgrdem]

Umm
"Former presidential counselor Dan Bartlett, following McClellan on "Today," said McClellan had used "very inflammatory words" like "propaganda," with "not a lot of evidence."

Somebody should ask Dan Barlett what Bush meant when he said they had to "catapult the propaganda". Or was Bush being inflammatory?

These Bush people really think we're dumb out here. We're not and when a Dem gets elected we are going to find the rot and hopefully indict, convict and jail !

[daddyG56]

I like the way they keep saying things like "pathetic", saying that he "should have brought this up" if he held these strong views, etc. Notice none of them are really denying anything? I find it hilarious and sickening at the same time.

[bygollymissmolly]

Sure, what do you think would have happened if Scott had gone to the President and said "I think you are lying to me"?

Personally, I don't have a lot of respect for McClellan. Where was his conscience when he was working for Bush? I guess his paycheck meant more to him than his conscience.

[AllanF]

She often is a hostile interviewer. Recall her interview with HIllary on Super Tuesday.

[Strywever]

What constitutes a "hostile" interview? She's asking tough questions that should be asked . . . it's her job, for Pete's sake! Have we so lost sight of what real journalism is in this country that we no longer recognize it when we see it? Newsflash: Journalism is *not* asking only the questions the interview subject wishes to be asked. It involves probing questions that try to get to the issues behind the prepared talking points that all interview subjects come prepared with (or should, if their own PR people have prepared them correctly).

Haven't we all had enough of lapdog media? I sure have.

[Ariadne]

I could not agree more.

[biglover]

Meredith Vieira does not constitute real journalism by any stretch of the imagination. Give me a break.

[wsmcke]

I agree also.

[Strywever]

P.S. And if the interview subject dodges the questions or is made uncomfortable by them, you can bet you're on to something useful (assuming the topic of the interview is useful in the first place).

[Mike169]

A White House official replied: "No one at the White House ever told McClellan not to talk about his experience­s."

It's funny that every response I heard had that implication. Loyalty, if not openly stated, is always implied. Anyway I think McClellan owes apologies to everyone here who found his press secretarying over the top during his time within the Bush cabal. He did after all label critics as "unpatriotic".

[SezU]

I have more respect for old Scotty now. It seems that no one can talk about anything unless they are out of that ring of deception in the white house. All of the military commanders stay quiet until they have retired for fear of speaking out about the commander in chief's screw ups. In the government, it's not easy saying something unflattering about a higher up. I assume that the same applies for the civilian government employees. Especially in this administration. I think that McClellan's coming out now is to ensure that the ill conceived notions of foreign policy of this administration end now and do not get the opportunity to continue with McCain. This will definitely affect the election and I'm glad for this.

I consider McClellan a whistle blower. The only one to leave this nasty group with the courage to expose it. Good for you Scott. We all just need to pray for your safety now.

[thromulese]

Everybody is acting as if this is some major revelation when in fact many have known (me included) for years that king george jr and his minions used propaganda, lies and spin to push America into this illegal war in Iraq. In fact bush himself once said that he needed to “catapult the propaganda”. That leaves very little to the imagination. And the recent revelations about this administrations use of retired generals to continue their propaganda campaign, simply confirms it all.

When this book is added to the other books written by insiders what we have is a picture of a corrupt, incompetent, criminal regime creating its own laws while it trampled on the constitution. What more can be said about an insidious administration that even directed torture from within the white house. They are criminals and should be treated as such.

A few years ago, an unnamed Bush aide told Suskind, "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—ju­diciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."

Soon we’ll be “studying” how we got into Iran.

[palealien]

Yeah, but maybe we'll be 'studying' their prison terms.

[TN]

Rove made a misjudgement. You can't just use people and throw them away and they are going to be afraid of you. This mentality backfired and Rove and his playbook is dated.

[new logic]

good post

[realtalk]

I think he did the right think, why should people not speak out whne they see that our government is failing the people. Is not working in the people's best interest.
Don' t fool yourself that Rove, and Cheney are good guys, they are the exact opposite, they are deceitful, conniving, men, and dangerous. The only reason Scott is not in jail on some trumped up charges, or dead is because the contents of the book were never leaked, before it actually came out this week.
Because of Scott's bravery, albiet a little late, the criminals:, Rove, and Cheney may finally be have their well deserved day in criminal court. Scott is apparently being called by Congress about contents in his book concerning Rove, and Cheney.
I do hope that Scott has a bodyguard. Rove, and Cheney will no doubt try something, they are vile, conscienceless men.

[sink]

I feel better about McClellan after watching that. Meridith seemed like she was about to punch him square in the face though....

[SkimaskBob]

meredith is bitchy

[biglover]

She's not bitchy - she was just looking to "shine" and appear to be a good interviewer. She failed miserably!! I thought he handled himself very well considering the pressure this kid must be under right now.

[HuffyChick]

The book is probably a deflection of something else happening behind the scenes!

[onelife1]

Everything this administration has done should be investigated, starting with 911 and the war. Is impeachment still off the table?

[spicecakes69]

Meredith came across as a shrill bitch this morning. Too bad she does not question the Bush people as harshly as she did Scott this morning.

The way to apologize to America for not doing a good job of reporting or commenting on all the laws they have broken and lies they have told is NOT to try to destroy the messenger.

Jeeeze Lousie!!! BACK OFF!!!

[wsmcke]

That is the type of interview the politician need all the time. We might not have gone to war if the president had been interviewed like that in the first place.